


Woes and Compromises

by Witch_Speka



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, Im trying yall, Platonic Relationships, Political Alliances, Post-Canon, aka F in chat for Greed, idk what else to tag this as
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:15:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21953536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Witch_Speka/pseuds/Witch_Speka
Summary: Being left alone at home for so long, Ed couldn't help but feel like he's missing out on something greater. The feeling irritated him to no end, nevertheless he tried driving it out of his system. After getting a phone call from a certain ambitious general, his craving worsens by the minute. While playing therapist for other people, he realises what the solution to his own problem is.[Updates are very inconsistent, sorry :")]
Relationships: Alphonse Elric & Edward Elric, Alphonse Elric & Roy Mustang, Edward Elric & Ling Yao, Edward Elric & Roy Mustang, Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell, Roy Mustang & Ling Yao
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is the most fun I've had in a while but also the biggest annoyance in a while.
> 
> Either way, hope you enjoy what I managed to cook up! Lmao 
> 
> Because this is the prologue I wanted to keep it shorter so it's only 1k, future chapters will be longer.

All his life Edward Elric had been travelling. Whether it was to search for the Philosopher’s Stone, to evade the military or to discover the beauty of foreign lands. Yet for years now he hasn’t left Resembool, at least not more than a week or so. 

After his journey to the West was over he finally settled in his hometown. Edward was always fond of Resembool, with its quiet fields and breathtaking sceneries. Saying he never missed it was a flat out lie. While on his four year long quest with his brother, he’d yearn to get woken up by Den’s barks again. He dreamed of resting on the green grass as the wind swiftly blew past him, carrying on the whispers of the small town ahead of him. To look out the window and see how the hills of Resembool expanded towards the horizon. They continued until the train station and beyond. To lands so familiar to Ed, ones he stepped foot on so many times. His cherished memories being deeply rooted in the seemingly bland soils. 

Edward loved Resembool. He also loved his family; so when he sat down with Winry a few weeks after their wedding day and she proposed that he become a househusband while she grinds for money in Rush Valley, Ed didn’t hesitate to accept. It was hard for him to get a stable job, he had not stepped foot in Amestris for almost a year at the time, so it made sense for Winry’s mechanic job to become their main source of income. He promised Winry she didn’t have what to worry about while she was away, he was going to take care of the chores and (future) kids. 

It proved to be a harder task than first expected after the first child was born (Ed started to wonder how his mother took care of two mischievous kids all on her own). Edward wasn’t exactly the greatest cook and his kids would often complain about his lack of skill in that field. After numerous failed attempts at baking different goods and almost burning the kitchen twice, Pinako took over the job. The kids were extremely satisfied with the decision, though Ed wasn’t.

Another thing the young man didn’t anticipate was how much his wife’s absence was going to affect him. He hated when she was gone for too long. Sometimes Winry had too much on her plate and couldn’t squeeze in any time to take a trip back home. There were days she didn’t even have time for a mere phone conversation. Now he understood how Winry felt in all those years him and Al were gone. Not knowing what your loved ones are up to can be extremely frustrating (at least Winry wasn’t off getting into danger every other week and returning home with broken limbs). 

The empty space in their bed haunted him every night. Despite sleeping alone Ed still only rested on his side of the bed, as if he was waiting for Winry to come through the door and plop next to him. A part of him still expected to hear her feet drag along the wooden floor and see her figure in front of the door frame. He’d bit his lip and stare into the nothing, reluctantly closing the lamp on their nightstand as if he waited enough she’d waltz in and scold him for not leaving the light on.

If Winry wasn’t available (which was becoming more and more common) Ed would resort to his second best option, his dear younger brother. Al wasn't a resident in Amestris, more so Resembool, but that's not to say he didn't frequent his homeland. Unlike his older brother Alphonse didn't end his journey so quickly. It took him about an year to complete his expedition; he travelled and researched almost every country in the East, emphasis on almost.

Xing was by far one of the biggest nations to exist, it's only competitor being the state of Drachma. So Al took his time to explore as much of it as he could. While doing so he ended up getting appointed another task. After Al had the realization that a thorough study of Xing would take him ages, the young man decided to alternate between travelling home and returning to his work in Xing. With him constantly jumping from one country to another like a bird migrating, two certain people took advantage of the fact and turned him into a messenger bird. 

After Xing and Amestris properly joined forces, the two people responsible for their newly forged alliance had started communicating more often. General Roy and Emperor Yao began exchanging a lot of correspondence after their trade route agreement in 1917. Phone conversations weren’t as frequent between the two, conversing by telephone proved to be quite risky. Alphonse began helping their letters cross the desert which made the mail delivery even more secure too, so why would they even consider calling an option anymore? How and when Al started getting so engaged with those two was unclear to Ed. 

Nevertheless, it didn’t seem like Al minded becoming their errand boy. On the contrary, he enjoyed his little job as it helped him keep up with all of the developments in both the Xing court and Amestrian government. It was unknown to Ed that his little brother was so into politics until he started excusing his late arrivals home because he "had to stop by Central first" a little too many times. 

Al tried discussing stuff with Ed, in hopes of keeping him up to date, but it all came crashing down quickly as the latter couldn't keep up with all the names thrown at him. There was too much going on beneath the surface of what the population knew and Ed didn't even have that much time to catch up with it. He was busy now, being a husband and a father of two, there wasn't nearly enough time to listen to his brother talk about politics while name dropping new people every two sentences. 

Now that he thought about it, he didn't really have time for anything these days. Recreation and fun took a step back and was replaced by housework and babysitting. Taking care of his family made the man feel fulfilled by being what his father wasn't, yet the quiet times when he would be off duty were a bit dull. A book and a cup of coffee brought only so much entertainment and on this evening his children were actually… quiet, for once. They fell asleep earlier than usual and Ed found himself with too much time on his hands. Unsure of what to do, he approached the telephone in hopes of finding Winry free of work and squeezing in a small conversation.

As he was standing in front of the small table that the phone was situated on, it began ringing before he even managed to put a finger on it. Ed snatched his hand back in reaction to the unexpected call. Could it be possible that Winry had the same intention as him? What even were the chances of that? 

Instead of aimlessly pondering about the identity of the caller, he picked up the phone. 

"Hello?" He asked and sat down on a nearby chair. 

There was a familiar buzz on the other side, their phone was old and would often malfunction. After this he would probably try and fix it again, or maybe time called for the purchase of a new one. While awaiting for a response, a question kept on nagging Ed in the back of his head.

Was this Winry? Or could it possibly be someone else?


	2. Once Upon A Phone Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was just another boring day... then the phone started ringing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a month or so, but I'm back! I wanted to get this chapter out sooner so there will probably be a few edits happening later on. Just saying so yknow why stuff changes (nothing drastic, just more narration cause that's what I'm good at hA-)
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy my mess of a fic :D

A voice finally penetrated the ear piercing noise. Ed expectantly waited for a response as he held the phone close to his ear. A familiar voice started resonating, turning Ed’s curious expression into a frown.

“Fullmetal, haven’t heard from you in a while!” The former alchemist didn’t even try to stop the annoyed groan that escaped his throat, following Mustang’s words. “I see you’re happy to be talking to me.”

“You don’t even know it.” Then Ed remembered it was noon, meaning it was between military working hours. "Shouldn't you be doing your job instead of calling ex-military men?" 

"The lieutenant is out right now and I just wanted to know what my favourite old subordinate was doing, is that such a sin?" 

"Considering your position, I would say yes." On the other side of the phone echoed a chuckle.

"Ah, I knew you would say that." There was a nostalgic tint to his voice, one that wasn't familiar to Ed yet it made him pull his lips into a smile. "What else would I do though? Nobody else would answer me.”

“Isn’t that a clear sign that you should work already?”

“Well, you know me, I’m quite persistent. I’m always stubborn about getting what I want.” Ed noticed how Mustang put an emphasis on the last few words. Clearly there was something the General wanted to get from Ed, although he wasn’t sure what. Since hearing his voice Ed could tell something was… off. His voice emanated a sense of rush, the words escaped his lips fast and sharp, something not so common for a person that’s claiming to be bored with plenty of free time. 

“Have you ever really wanted anything else besides attention?”

“A promotion is always welcomed.”

“Still aiming for the top? Guess old habits die hard.”

“Guess so, though I’m good with where I’m standing now. As long as I can do my duty then I’m fine.”

If you didn’t truly know Roy Mustang and you took all of his words at face value, then you would probably not take his last comment seriously. General Mustang is notorious for being a slacker. His procrastination knows no limits, some people still let their opinion of him stop at that despite him constantly hiding his intentions under layers of lies. The man himself doesn’t mind, his intention is to be underwhelming, after all. He aims to look as dangerous as a lackadaisical young officer that got lucky or bribed his way up the ranks. Fortunately, Edward Elric is not one of those people. He knows Roy would rather watch the grass grow than decrease his neverending stack of paperwork, unless it’s related to a certain project of his. 

“Is that so? I can’t comprehend the words ‘Roy Mustang’ and ‘diligent’ in the same sentence though.” Ed chuckled a bit, years shall pass and seasons shall change but the opportunity to mock his old Colonel will never pass Edward Elric.

“Neither did I associate a twelve year old with a high military position, yet here we are.” The way he spoke those words still had the slight drop of sentimentality, but it was mixed with that childish jest Ed was so familiar with. “Or, well, were.”

“Sometimes I wonder if you’re aware you’re not as humorous as you think you are.”

“Funny you mention it, back in the day the Fuhrer would often remind me of my dry sense of humour. Wouldn’t say his is any better though.”

“Can’t really disagree with that, the number of times I spoke with Fuhrer Grumman stagnates in the single digits.”

“Well, take my word for it, that man doesn’t crack the best jokes. You would think the kid’s sense of humour would rub off on him, considering how much time they spend together lately.”

“What kid?” Ed furrowed his eyebrows, confusion glimmering in his eyes.

“Eh? Haven’t I told you before? For the past few weeks he’s been hanging around Madame Bradley’s residence, they seem to get along quite well. Her son seems to be fond of the Fuhrer.”

“Oh.” was all Ed said, a bit taken aback by the information. How long has it been since he’s heard anything about Selim? Or even the Madame for that matter. It must’ve been a year, if not two. Ed knew that if something would be wrong with the child, Roy would inform him of it. Everything that happened on the Promised Day was classified information and there weren’t many who Mustang would be able to confide in about the situation. It all clicked in for Ed, like finding the last missing piece of a puzzle. There was a reason for Roy’s sudden call, and chances were homunculi played a big part in it. His attention peaked, carefully dissecting all the words that came through the shabby telephone.

"You know, the Fuhrer seems to have this worry that Selim will be raised showered in privilege, turning him into a dishonorable fellow." Ed nodded in understanding, even though there was no one there to see him. The connection between manners and demonic powers was quickly made, because if it wasn't about homunculi then Ed couldn't figure out why Mustang would tell him about Selim's attitude. "Nevertheless, I can't see it. Maybe my lack of interaction is obscuring my opinion, but he seems like a well mannered child." 

"Don’t judge a book by the cover, Colonel. You never know what hides behind the mask of a sweet child.”

“That’s true, you should know best about the tricks of a devious child, have been one yourself.”

Ed tried his best to make abstraction of Mustang’s remark. There was no need for meandering, he needed to focus on the situation at hand even if it meant letting Mustang get away with his irritating comments. Truth be told, Ed couldn’t even deny the other man’s words. He was a little devil, but admitting it to Roy didn’t sit well with Ed. There were circumstances in which he was fine with letting go of his pride but those did not include petty arguments with Roy Mustang.

With the thought of getting back at him later and a deepening of his frown, his head was clear of distractions again. Was Mustang somehow asking Ed for help with Selim? He did make sure to mention how he doesn’t agree with the Fuhrer’s opinion. Was Grumman concerned that Selim could become a threat? If Ed’s assumptions were correct it would mean there weren’t any obvious signs of it, or at least none Mustang noticed. Homunculi were still stained by question marks in many areas. Even Ed, who lived closely by one for a few good months and had (arguably) the most interactions with their species, was still lost when it came to certain peculiarities of theirs. Is Roy just supposing Ed knows something that could settle Grumman’s inquiries? Or, maybe, that he knows how Roy could get that something he needs.  
“Don’t say it like I’m a professional, I know someone that surpasses me in that aspect.” He said with an arrogance typical of him, attempting to make the conversation seem as mundane as possible.

“Who might that be?” Curiosity was clear in his tone.

“The same bastard that became emperor at sixteen.” Despite his confidence in the conclusion of ‘Mustang wants me to help him with Selim’ Ed still had a drop of doubt lingering around. It didn’t help that it grew in size when Mustang not catching on was a possibility. Ed didn’t hold the answers the general wanted, but Ling must know /something/. He might not know how homunculi work but the guy that used to be one should have an idea. 

“What a disrespectful way to refer to someone of a higher standing than you.” 

No sounds had come from the other side of the telephone for a minute or so, an eerie silence settled in their conversation. Ed was tapping the floor with his foot, awaiting Mustang's response like an impatient child. 

“I guess they’re both similar, huh? They were both raised in the glimmer of entitlement.” The corners of Ed’s lips pulled into a smile as he realised Mustang caught onto his clues. A sense of accomplishment and satisfaction kept his grin intact.

“Exactly! Disrespect is like second nature to them.” 

“I see your point, but still, isn’t is a bit much to compare the emperor to a misbehaving child?”

"Well, you didn't spend as much time with him as I did! I swear he was such a brat sometimes."

"Look who's talking." The words were concealed by a chuckle and Roy's soft tone but they still reached Ed. "Well, looks like it's about time I get back to work."

"Good, maybe you should make a habit out of that." 

"I apologise for any bother I caused you, dear citizen." 

"Apologies don't mean anything if they're not genuine, dear general." 

A laugh. All he got in response after that was a genuine laugh. No traces of that annoying, phony voice Ed was used to being accompanied by the laugh. Just an honest representation of a man falling victim to the feeling of joy.

"See ya, Fullmetal." 

Then the buzz came, and brought with it a sense of emptiness. Despite how insignificant the interaction was, it gave Ed a pinch of adrenaline. With a click the phone was placed back again on its holder, waiting for its next usage. For a minute Ed just stood in front of the table, staring at the silenced phone. An aura encapsulated it, one of mystery and promise. As he shook his head, his mind became clear for a second before being buried by a bunch of negative feelings. The corners of his mouth pulled into a deep frown, why did he feel so numb all of a sudden? Just empty, like something had been taken away from him. The feeling deeply bothered Ed, it slowly started to settle more and more in his mind. 

With furious steps he approached the couch and plopped onto the soft cushions. His body shifted so his gaze fixated on the ceiling. Traces of light escaped through the dark red curtains and lit a part of the room, including the couch. Even if the rays of sunlight glinted in his eyes, they weren't strong enough to be a bother. A sense of dread started to build up inside him, slowly. As if someone was creating the foundation of the doorway to anxiety. As the awful feeling started to increase so did the air inhaled in his lungs. Slowly it started slipping through his slightly parted lips. At the moment it was the only thing that would calm him down.

He rolled to sit on his side, facing the cushion. A sea of curse words started to occupy his thoughts, and all of them were aimed at himself. Why was he feeling this way? Without realising it, this seemingly meaningless phone call shook him up a bit. It gave him a bite, a bite of what his past was like: coded conversations and military work. Just hearing Mustang's asking Ed for information was like a trip back in time. When they needed each other, when they worked together, how it felt even better when they worked for the same goal. But now it wasn't nearly the same, now Ed was sitting at home, being a normal citizen while Mustang continued his duty. Then he realised why he felt so numb. The numbness was a result of feeling like he’s slacking off, which he wouldn't do, that was Mustang's job.

What bothered Ed even more was that this feeling started clouding his mind after so much time passed since he left the military. Or maybe, it was exactly because all this time flew by. The craving of danger and action only grew stronger and stronger, like an insatiable hunger. All this phone call did was feed the hibernating monster buried deep inside him, giving him more fuel for the day he’ll break free from the cage of rationality and self control. Letting that monster see the light of day again was a real worry for Edward. 

Ed shuffled onto the couch again, now looking distantly at the ceiling. Having Winry by his side would’ve been a blessing in these kinds of moments. Actually, maybe not Winry-- just someone that would listen to him. Let all of his thoughts spill out, turn his mind empty for at least a few minutes. But Ed didn’t have that privilege, so all he could do was sulk on his couch until his kids would call him back to reality. 

After shutting his eyes, his thoughts started to wonder. Lost in thought about what Winry was doing, if something was really wrong with Selim, how will Mustang approach discussing the issue with Ling… then to more mundane thoughts. When will his kids wake up and what they’ll have for dinner. He was so focused that the ringing of the phone almost went past him like a gust of wind. Almost.  
Now awoken from his trance, Ed jumped to his feet and grabbed the phone again. Placing it closely to his ear, a soft voice started cutting through the awful cacophony of noise.

“Hello? Can you hear me?”

“Oh… hey.” Winry’s voice almost sent him into another trance. All Ed wanted in that moment was to listen to her voice, he wanted to hear her wish him a good night and feel the warmth and presence of her body before drifting into sleep. “I was just meaning to call you.”

“Well… I’m sorry but I can’t talk for long.” Voices would pour out through the receiver, the busy streets of Rush Valley sounding so close to him.

“It’s fine, I get it.” Of course he understood, Winry didn’t like being away for so long either. It would’ve been selfish for him to be mad about it. But, just because he understood doesn’t mean it didn’t bother him.

“I’m glad.” Even so her words came out with traces of worry. Sometimes Ed wonders if she knows how lonely he feels. “I called you because I had something to tell you.” Then he realises she’s probably lonely too. “I’m going on holiday starting next week, I’m taking a month off.”

“Really?!” The words escaped his mouth without him realising, nevertheless he couldn’t feel embarrassed by the small outburst. Happiness was already intoxicating him.

“You sound so surprised! I haven’t been home in forever… I need to catch up with my family, don’t I?”

“Of course.” Even if the negative thoughts would start to attack his crumbling mentality, it wouldn’t matter. Not now, not in this moment.

“Ah-- I gotta go. Sorry for cutting this short! I promise I’ll call you later tonight!” Just because the thoughts were concealed by a surplus of joy doesn’t mean they were gone.

“Yeah, you better! Now go back to your duty, gearhead.” But their absence will thrive for at least a few more days.

“Love you.”

***

As Mustang put the phone back down, Hawkeye dropped another stack of paperwork onto his desk. His gaze didn’t meet hers as he was trying to avoid her murderous stare.

“Working hard as usual, I see.” Pen started scratching paper while Mustang made abstraction of the lieutenant’s comment.

"Ri-" he started then realised his mistake, trying to cover it up with a cough. "Lieutenant, can you fetch me some ink? My pen ran out." 

"Are you finally going to start working, sir?"

"Kind of, I have to write a letter."


End file.
